Isla Balkania (aka Project Massacra)

[icebreakr 3105]

Thanks guys for the "moral support", it means a lot ;) with first beta you'll get also Town of Komunovo that will be mostly empty landlots. I'll give that areas to mapmakers to make this map a joint effort. So every neighbourhood will be made by a different "architect" ;) they'll just send me .pew file and I'll combine it with the existing map.

p.s. as mentioned in the first post, it will be possible to recreate missions from first Red Dawn movie as you'll get locations similiar to movie sets (prison camp in town, forests, road for ambush, windy road up the mountain etc.).

[icebreakr 3105]

New update: map is coming along nicely. First takeoff and landings were done from Portoroz airport (NW region of the map) and runway is 1/2 of RL size. It seems that Mig-21, C-130 Hercules and many other planes can successfully land there ;) Hmm didn't test if C130 is able to actually take off, but we will make it operational - no worries ;)

I'm shocked by the sheer size of the island (16x16km, 1:2 ratio to RL terrain). No more miniature worlds, this is 1:2 of the real size and its *huge* compared to all my previous projects. Choppers blend in the terrain when flying low, jets are able to fly through valleys and see AAA tracers from miles away when using open terrain. Thats a whole new experience for me in Arma series.

I've done the vegetation and wrapping up the road network (*sic*, a lot of work!). It seems that towns will be added with each beta release, as there's quite a lot of them, even big ones. RL towns confirmed are: Umag, Piran, Izola, Buje, Novigrad, Carigador, Dajla and Motovun. Even bigger project are probably spread out settlements on hillsides, that are always a bitch to do (using open buildings that is, not that easy-peasy Chernarus closed stuff) ;)

I've also did a small tank battle & threw in couple of Apaches and Viggens from Duala Full (plane with Myke's realistic Maverick missiles). Enemy engages at great distances, finally some tank battles in woodland areas that are 1+ click away. I've been having fun for couple of hours just watching hellfire missiles travel below my plane and hitting far away armor :)

Map will remain much more open than any of my previous work. I won't repeat my mistake of "over-populating" the map, so there will be bunch of empty places for bases and long-range fights. The thing that worries me the most is the size of actual woodland terrain. Pilot that ejects will have a hard time telling the SAR team where he is. And even then it might take 10-15minutes for SAR chopper to reach his position. Infantry missions will really need FOBs set up or they'll walk for entire evening just to reach the objective ;)

I also have scouted an area intended for non-exisiting-RL Town of Komunovo, huge town that will be built by at least 5 popular mapmakers in this community. Komunovo is a huge town that is in the middle of all three countries sharing this map. So basically each side will be able to shell it from nearby hills as Komunovo lies in the valley. A single big airport Komunovo International Aiport is in the middle of it with its single 1,3 km long runway. Each of Komunovo mapmakers will be assigned a landlot (parcel) so each suburb will look differently. Mapmakers will even use placements from their popular maps. Of course there will be billboards with credits and map markers with their landlot names. If you would like to contribute let me know via this topic or PM.

[oldbear 390]

Nice to see this project coming alive !

As previously said, you can count me in ... if needed :cool:

[Tonci87 163]

That sounds awesome.

A few questions: Why did you choose the 1:2 scale? Why not just take a 16x16km big piece of land and build it in the game?

Will the map have that special mediteranean croatian/slovenian feeling?

I guess you would need the proper vegetation and typical buildings to make this as real as possible. Oh, don't forgett the omnipresent advertising billboards

[kremator 1064]

Really excited about this. Tracking this thread!

[ei8ght 11]

great new, i added the thread in my favourite:bounce3:

[icebreakr 3105]

Tonci87: Istrian feeling will surely be present, but I don't want to start any stupid RL vs virtual world wars, so all three factions (yes, three) will be *fictional* & control *fictional* borders (well some will stay the same, like two border passes on river Dragonja) and have no connection to RL, except some resemblance to forces in this region. For example Cittanovans will control the area near Novigrad, but won't have Motovun (otherwise a nice old Croatian town in RL) as another faction Cecania (CCA) will control that area on SE (river Mirna) and all the way up to North.

I will probably cut the borders to make an island instead of continent on E side of map. Komunovo is being built E of Buje (center of the map, near RL-village of Martincici) and a direct highway will lead from North to it. All other areas remain the same and I'm sure this map will offer great gameplay possibilities.

I expect to finish it fully in late 2013, but of course, you'll be part of beta testing team when I feel comfortable that it offers enough. So, expect a lot of "Area under construction" signs in first couple of releases ;)

[Snake Man 401]

I'm shocked by the sheer size of the island (16x16km, 1:2 ratio to RL terrain). No more miniature worlds, this is 1:2 of the real size and its *huge* compared to all my previous projects.

I am surprised but really glad you decided to take on larger terrain than earlier. Very good decision and I'm looking forward to this terrain, definitely.

Choppers blend in the terrain when flying low, jets are able to fly through valleys and see AAA tracers from miles away when using open terrain. Thats a whole new experience for me in Arma series.

Sounds excellent, I'm happy that you have found the true power of ofp/arma/arma2 engine :)

Can't wait for this terrain, seriously.

[Tonci87 163]

Finished end of 2013? So I guess it will be ported to Arma3?

[icebreakr 3105]

If BIS will provide necessary tools and at least partial compatibility, then the answer is Yes.

But even with A2 engine it looks the same or even better than that Greek A3 island =)

Edited August 6, 2012 by IceBreakr

[R0adki11 3945]

But even with A2 engine it looks the same or even better than that Greek A3 island =)

Can't wait :D. Keep up the great work!

[slatts 1978]

Tease us with some sort of image

TEEEEEAAAASSSEE! :D

[icebreakr 3105]

[Stagler 39]

IceBreakr, please please please. Make this a terrain instead of an island. Or a peninsular.

[R0adki11 3945]

IceBreakr, please please please. Make this a terrain instead of an island. Or a peninsular.

whats wrong with an island?

[icebreakr 3105]

Isla Balkania.... make a peninsula they said. *facepalm*

I hate that unlimited terrain look. Especially on a map that is made mainly for a 3-sided warfare scenario :)

[slatts 1978]

Looking mega already :D

[Tonci87 163]

Dude! That Scrennshot! Its amazing!!

TEASE US MORE!!!

[maturin 12]

Isla Balkania.... make a peninsula they said. *facepalm*

In Serbo-Croatian the word for peninsula means literally half-island. :p

[Stagler 39]

The best ARMA 2 islands are actually terrains. Hazar-Kot, Aliabad, Celle, Chernarus, the new ones from the DLC, Clafghan, Carraighdubh, MBG Nam, and Jakerods Miroslavl and terrain competition winner. There really isnt that many islands in the world that look roughly square either.

I suppose if warfare is what you are aiming for then it suits that best.

Just sayin.

[near_blind_sniper 10]

I'm having trouble understanding the correlation between quality and number of sides touching water.

[zamani532 1]

Peninsula's suck. Just look at how bad Podagorsk is then say you want a peninsula again. I really hope this stays a Isla, because Isla's are the best.

Edited August 8, 2012 by zamani532

[icebreakr 3105]

People like to wander off the map and even use that for cheating ;)

[cyclone83 6]

Wow, that satmap looks just........GORGEOUS!!!

[Frenki 21]

Great Job! Just keep on,now we just need one JNA(Yugoslavian Peoples Army) mod and people all acros Ex.Yugoslavia can play togheter!